Mourning The Passing of Dr. Bill Watson
CCU students, faculty, staff, alumni, and administrators past and present are mourning the death of longtime professor of history Dr. William (Bill) Watson, who died unexpectedly on November 12, 2020, in Lakewood.
Dr. Watson served as Professor of World History in the Department of Social Sciences, and specialized in the interaction between Western civilization and the rest of the world. During his extensive career, he traveled to more than 30 countries, lived in five, studied six foreign languages, was a linguist in Military Intelligence at an NSA listening post in Berlin during the Cold War, and taught on world issues for over 40 years. In 2004, he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar teaching Western civilization and U.S. Foreign Policy in Moldova and a Visiting Summer Fellow at Oxford in 2007.
Watson joined CCU in 1996, and led numerous student trips to Europe, the Middle East, and India. Although Dr. Watson served as faculty in School of Humanities and Social Sciences, he was known and loved by CCU students and alumni in all the schools for his animated lectures, passion for history and Western civilization, and zeal for the cause of Christ and His kingdom.
His former students have gone on to careers in government, media, intelligence, diplomacy, global relief, missions, and ending poverty in the underdeveloped world. He will be deeply missed by all in the CCU family, and beyond.
“Dr. Watson was a great man and an inspiring teacher, who impacted literally thousands of students over his nearly 25 years of teaching at CCU, including me,” commented Dr. Ryan Hartwig, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “The impact of his teaching, mentoring, and exuberant encouragement literally reverberates around the globe, carried on by the scores of CCU alumni who are now serving in missions and various kinds of international relations and humanitarian work around the world.”
Our hearts go out to his wife, Carolyn, and their children and grandchild, as well as those who knew him as a professor, colleague, and friend. As a CCU family, please lift up the Watson family in your prayers today and in the days ahead.
A further announcement will be forthcoming regarding a memorial service.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” – Psalm 116:15 (ESV)